A Man From Carthak
by Salamanderess
Summary: Quetzacoatl has to seek help from a virtually unknown source: Tortall, his tribe and the others around him are dying. Kaddar has ignored their plea for help. Will he get help?


A man from Carthak

**A/n: A simple story.**

He had a mission: to save his tribe, as many had done before him running to the Land Beyond the Sea was impossible so he swam across. His tribe had appealed to Kaddar but he didn't responded at a loss at what to do his tribe sent Quetzacoatl named after the winged serpent God but known to people who couldn't pronounce his name as Daniel to appeal to the other countries. His tribe was dying, a sickness, a remainder from the seven-year drought and famine was killing his people. The Crystal Leopard tribe appealed to the other tribes for help but they too were suffering, the shamans of the tribes were the first to die a long slow death leaving the tribes without hope.

Quetzacoatl struggled against the powerful breakers in the sea, glancing up at the sky from time to time to ensure he wasn't swimming in circles, his tribe was famous for its people who had incredible energy and endurance it was common for a three year old boy to get lost in the jungle and return years later as a man fearless of nothing. Quetzacoatl was one such man, the jungle was a vicious place and yet he lived and with a Spirit to prove it.

Only men or women that had survived the jungle at an early age had the Spirit that marked him or her as a warrior a true person of the tribe. Quetzacoatl's was stronger that most but nonetheless he was one of the last sent across to ask for help and it was his Spirit he sometimes called Stalker, as that was how he met his Spirit it was stalking him.

Seeing the shore at last after days of non-stop running and swimming Quetzacoatl looked forward to resting for a scant day before returning to his rigorous journey. The large breakers pushed him forward onto the shore and as Quetzacoatl rose up from the wet sand he looked up to see something that defied his imagination, now the Crystal Leopard tribe had temples miles high and miles apart but so many smaller buildings put close together made Quetzacoatl feel claustrophobic and caged.

Avoiding the city as he later learnt he came across small towns that suited him fine as running through them was easy. Quetzacoatl attracted much attention but he didn't tarry he was going to the city known as Corus for help from a king who had great power and was just.

Quetzacoatl had slowed to a walk and was munching on some dried meat he had bought with the gold given to him by his dying elders. Wondering if the country Tortall was worth going to and if he would be able to save his wife and children. Thinking bitterly about how Kaddar who swore to help his people hadn't helped his people at all but let them whither and die.

He was nearly there, at the capital that he swore he would go to and seek help, Corus. Climbing up a hill, he saw over the edge a giant city bigger than the one he now knew as Tyra. Walking through the gate he was presented by a menagerie of colours, sounds, people and giant yet small buildings. Calling upon his Spirit Stalker he was greeted by screams and the sound of withdrawed weapons.

Not knowing why they were screaming at him and about to attack him he sprinted away and was followed by screams of outrage, terror and occasionally pity. Daniel sprinted into Temple district and slowed to a pace as the men with weapons had stopped following him. Pushing his Spirit back down, Quetzacoatl walked the remainder of the way to the Palace gates noting how the temples changed from city to city.

(-)

Quetzacoatl was standing before Duke Gareth the younger, as he understood such things, who was toying with a bauble of some sort, "You expect me to believe that you ran and swam your way here?" the Duke asked.

"No." Daniel replied, "I expect only that you send help to my people as soon as possible. If you cannot do that, I will return to my dying wife and children and if I am well enough bury them in the proper place." Daniel looked like he didn't care either way but deep down just slightly shown on his face you could see that he did care.

Duke Gareth considered if he could send help there and why Kaddar had not sent help already perhaps it was too late or this man left just before the help arrived. But if it was true that Kaddar hadn't sent help then there was the possibility that the sickness would spread killing more than Daniel's people.

"And how do you pronounce your name?"

Quetzacoatl just said, "My tribe had prepared me for such a people who cannot say my name. Those people call me Daniel." The Duke looked surprised.

A servant entered the room, "Excuse me sir, but the local soldiers want you to know that there is a leopard loose in the city. Possibly escaped from the Palace menagerie." Duke Gareth acknowledged the comment and the servant left.

Daniel looked amused and depressed at the same time, the duke saw the expression and said, "You wouldn't have anything to do with this would you?" Daniel smiled for the first time since the disease struck his tribe, "If the leopard was larger than normal than yes it was Stalker. In other words me." If Daniel expected a different reaction he didn't show it, the Duke was calm, "Wild magic?" he asked Daniel.

"No, I have heard of such a thing but it is not so. The leopard I can call upon chose me and with much energy on by behalf we merged and I now serve him as much as he serves me, I am only as a candle burning in a empty house when I call upon him."

Duke Gareth decided to send a message to Numair despite the fact he was expecting another child from his wife Daine, it would be worth knowing how Daniel did what he did. Daniel stood leaning slightly from toes to heel as he tried to ignore the fact Stalker was hungry and demanding food.

"I will talk to my cousin the King. I cannot promise you anything but I will try. In the mean time I will ask a servant to show you to your tempory quarters and to take you to the dining hall for a hot meal." Daniel still had something on his mind; "You said something about a menagerie with leopards?" the Duke only nodded, "Could I see it sometime?"

"There is no need, the animals are cared for properly, Daine ensures that they are happy." The Duke said motioning a servant over that was peeking through the open door.

Daniel nodded and followed the servant through to his tempory chambers; it was small and made him feel very claustrophobic turning to the servant he asked if there was gardens nearby and with the servant guiding him Daniel set up a bed or rather a nest in one of the giant oak trees in one of the Palace gardens. The servant was shocked but made no comment.

(-)

Upon arriving at the dining hall once again Daniel was shocked at how cramped everything was: the tables, the people, how the food was set up and Daniel realized that he should of asked the Duke for a guide since the servants had better things to do then take a curious young man around the palace.

People were starting to stare at him; Daniel was blocking the entrance he moved out of the way and was still at a loss of what to do. Seeing people pick up trays and put food upon it then carry it to a seat Daniel mimicked them and started eating not caring why no one else had eaten.

Plenty of people why looking at him some furious others curious at why he didn't stand for the king, to be honest Quetzacoatl otherwise known as Daniel was not going to show loyalty to a king he would never see again when the king sat down people started eating and talking, Quetzacoatl was eating with his hands, he had secured a large ham and was deciding whether or not to use the strange tools beside his food that and whether the people in this place would care if he called Stalker, having eating himself to being full Stalker felt a bit better but was still craving the ham on the tray.

He called Stalker and let him eat his full of the ham, all talking in the hall stopped; everyone was watching the large spotted panther eating the equally large ham. King Jonathan was watching the panther while listening to the whispered comments of his ministers.

Stalker with his belly bulging left the hall looking forward to a sleep in the nest made in the oak tree. No one tried to stop him.

**A/n: I need to know if this story will work, review!**


End file.
